Like a young sapling sinking its roots deep in the soil but bending with each wind storm, our
congregation grew slowly during those first couple of years. Rev. Fitzpatrick resigned after 1 1/2 years to accept a call in Pennsylvania in the spring of 1971. By August of that year God sent us a replacement in the form of a young man doing graduate work at Ohio State University. He was only able to serve part time but his generous heart, his 5 string banjo and his love of the country endeared him to the families of St. John's as we began to grow again in numbers and activities.
A congregational meeting was held on Sunday, August 15, 1971. By unanimous vote, they extended a call to Mr. William Villaume to become their minister. He was ordained into the ministry August 29,1971 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Akron. Making the trip to Akron for the ordination were 35 members of St. John's. He was installed as pastor of St. John's on September 19, 1971.
With a youthful spirit, "Pastor Bill", as he was affectionately called, ministered to all segments of the population, spending many extra hours with the teenagers of the congregation. The average age of the Sunday morning worshipper was becoming younger and often youth services would be held with music, drama and slides. The ever increasing attendance, especially at Easter and Christmas were the first indications of a future need to enlarge the sanctuary. It was during his pastorate that a very unreliable organ was replaced with the present electronic organ and the plot of land behind the church property became available and was purchased for cash. In addition, the congregation was able to end the special salary support from the Synod of Ohio which had helped them so greatly when they first became independent.
In 1974, Pastor Bill felt a need to continue his doctoral studies at Ohio State, and thus resigned from the pulpit at St. John's with much regret and sadness from all members of the congregation. In February of 1978 he was called to serve as the American Protestant Chaplin in Moscow, U.S.S.R. where he served until June 1980.
In February of 1975, the pulpit committee recommended to the congregation that St. John's offer a call to full time ministry to a young minister from Denver, Colorado by the name of Paul Hansen. Pastor Hansen accepted and in March began his call in this dynamic young independent congregation. With a strong ministry to shut ins and the unchurched of the community. Pastor Hansen felt right at home with this country church having grown up in a rural area of Illinois. Soon attendance swelled on Sundays and St. John's began to attract worshippers from a 25 mile radius of this little country church. With increasing needs for an office and secretarial services, the council recommended to the congregation that Mrs. Margaret Batten, a retired member, be employed on a part time basis as our first secretary. Upon her marriage in 1985 and consequent move toWisconsin, she was replaced by another member, Mrs. Chris Comisford, who began part time but soon became full time secretary and parish administrator serving from 1986 to the present.
By 1980 worship attendance had increased from 150-200 per Sunday, chairs were often set upin the aisles to accommodate the large crowds. It is interesting to note that this growth occurred without ay special evangelism committee project. Friends brought friends and they brought more friends. No annual pledging has ever been required and yet month after month, year after year, not only did the budget increase but the giving increased at an even greater rate. Rev. Ring's vision of a strong active independent congregation was becoming a reality.
